Brush assembly



@u ML, W5@

R. o. PETERSON Wsl BRUSH ASSEMBLY Filed Nov. lO. 1950 IN V EN TOR. fm/0. Wwf/www nited States Patent *O BRUSH ASSEMBLY Ruben 0. Peterson,University Heights, Ohio, assignor to The Osborn Manufacturing Company,Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation `of Ohio Application November V10, 1950,Serial No. 195,011

3 Claims. (Cl. 15-77) `lengths comprising a metal channel form back withstranded brush material doubled about a longitudinally extendingretaining wire secured therein by teeth punched in from the sides ofsuch back. Brush strip of this sort may be circnlarized, helically -orotherwise, or cut into desired lengths for insertion in appropriatebrush backs or holders. The ends of the severed channel form back of thelength of brush strip will preferably be pinched together to preventloss of any of the brush material which is, however, a minor problemwith this type of brush strip since such material is firmly secured inthe channel back by the retaining wire and teeth.

A variety of different forms of holders have been proand disassembly andalso, in many cases, by a tendency` for the parts to Work loose underthe effect of vibratory action in use. Particularly in the case of longlead helical brushes and other rotary brushes having brush stripextending axially thereof there has been considerable trouble involvedin replacing worn brush elements. Where relatively straight lengths ofbrush strip have been Seated in rotary mounting means by axial insertionof the back of such strip in a solid grooved support, considerablefrictional resistance is met with in thus inserting the strip and laterwithdrawing the same for replacement. thermore, it has been difficult to:aiford sufficient ventilation to brush assemblies of this latter type.

It is accordingly a primary object of my invention to provide a novelblush assembly wherein lengths of brush strip may be inserted with aminimum of diiculty but which strip will then be lirmly seated and`secured in use.

Another object is to provide such brush assembly Wherefrom such lengthsof brush strip may readily be withdrawn for replacement when worn orwhen a `diiferent type of brushing action is desired. t

Stili another object is to provide a rotary brush assembly including acentral supporting structure on which lengths of brush strip may beseated and secured extending in a direction generally parallel to theaxis of such Fursupport7 such lengths of brush `strip being eitherstraight i rice of but a few of the various ways in which the principleof the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawing:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of two specially formed rotary brushesembodying the principle of my invention adapted to operate incomplementary fashion upon an interposed work-piece;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional View through theright-hand. end portion of the upper brush of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a similar sectional View of the right-hand end portion of thelower brush shown in Fig. l

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary transverse sectional View taken on the line 4 4`on Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the lline 5-5 on Fig. l.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. l to 5 of the drawing, theembodiment of my invention there illustrated is indicative or the mannerin which my new brush assembly may be modified to conform to unusualshapes and work surfaces. The particular embodiment illustrated isdesigned simultaneously to brush both sides 0f a curved automotivewindshield, but it will be appreciated that the precise shape of thebrush or brushes will be governed by the special operation for whichthey are intended. In the past, when an attempt has been made to providea rotary brush of special. contour, this has almost always been done bytrimming the brush material accordingly. For many operations suchbrushes have proven quite unsatisfactory due principally to the factthat since the brush material extends dilerent distances from the`support or retaining means the brushing characteristics of diterentportions of the brush are like- Wise widely different. Ordinarily, forexample, relatively shorter bristles will have a stronger and sharperbrushing action than `longer bristles of the same material.

The upper brush shown in Fig. l comprises a tubular core 43 having stubshaft bearing members 49 and 50 press tted within the respective ends ofthe same. Such stub shaft members may additionally be welded orotherwise secured to core 48 if desired. A plurality of annular sheetmetal discs 51, 52 and 53 are mounted on such core and welded in place,such discs being notched at spaced points about their peripheries toreceive channelform brush strip retaining elements 5 which are welded inplace in such notches. As shown in Fig. l, such notches and retainingmembers may be disposed in longitudinal alignments parallel to the axisof core d8 and the supporting discs carried by the latterso that lengthsof brush strip inserted therein will likewise lie in planes radially ofsuch core. The endmost discs 5d` :and 55, instead of being of sheetmetal, may be substantially thicker than the other discs and notched toreceive the channelform backs 9 of the brush strip directly therein asshown in Figs. 2 and 4. The end portions of the brush strip retained insuch notches are secured in place by means of conical headed screws 56inserted in such discs with their heads overlying the edges of the brushstrip channel backs 9.

Retaining members 5 and the notches or grooves in end members 54 and 5Swill be inclined, as shown, to support the lengths of brush strip at thedesired angle (portions of the brushes of Fig. l are, of course, brokenaway better to illustrate the internal construction of the assembly). itwill thus be seen that a rotary brush assembly has been provided which,while of generally cylindrical form, has nevertheless been modied sothat the over-all diameter of the brush varies yconsiderably from end toend without, however, any change in the lengt of brush material. 10extending from the individual brush strip backs 9.

ln the embodiment illustrated in Fig, .1, a second rotary brush isprovided having an axially concave contour adapted to complement theaxial convex contour of the brush just described, so that both sides ofa curved automotive windshield passed therebetween may be brushedsimultaneously. Such concave brush likewise comprises a tubular hub orcore member 57 having stub shaft bearing members 5S and 59 press tted inthe respective ends thereof. A plurality of annular sheet metal discset), 6i, 62, 63 and 64 are welded on such core :'57 and notched at theirperipheries to receive channel retaining members 5 in which the backs 9of the lengths of brush strip are received. Such retaining members 5'will be welded to the discs at the proper angles to secure the desiredbrush contour as shown.

The lengths of brush strip thus employed in these two cooperating brushassemblies will preferably be preformed to approximately the desiredcurvature before being axially inserted in the alignment of stripretaining merobers 5. Obviously, the notches in the discs may be sodisposed and the retaining members welded therein shaped to receivelengths of brush strip also formed with a long iead helix, if desired.

End plates may be provided to prevent axial displacement of the lengthsof brush strip in use, although the same will not always be necessary.As shown in Fig. 5, pins 65 are inserted through corresponding aperturesin the sides of members 5 to overlie the edges of the channelform brushback 9 to secure the latter in place. Such pins will also obviouslyserve to prevent axial withdrawal of the length of brush strip from theretaining members. The ends of the pins may be slightly upset to ensurethat they `will not become displaced. A variety of brush constructionsutilizing alignments of my new retaining members 5 to carry thereplaceable lengths of brush strip will be obvious to those skilled inthe art.

The brush strip employed will preferably be of the type described above,but any commercially available brush strip comprising an elongated backfrom which a layer of brush material extends may be utilized. The termsbrush and brush strip as used herein are intended to include hurting aswell as strictly brushing materials. Thus, suitable materials forvarious uses include tampico ber, wire, horsehair, synthetic plasticstrands such as nylon, and buff fabrics such as cotton cloth.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending applicationSerial No. 81,985, filed March l'7, i949, now Patent No. 2,658,3l5granted November l0, 1953.

lt will be seen that I have provided means whereby rotary brushes havingrelatively complex contours may readily be assembled without thenecessity of a diicult trimming operation to be performed on theassembled brush. Not only may the brush material of the brush strip betrimmed to desired length prior to assembly but also, since the lengthof trim is ordinarily uniform, substantially uniform brushingcharacteristics are obtained for the entire brush face. Whether thefinished brush is to have a longitudinally concave, convex, or taperedcontour the lengths of brush strip may be mounted in their normalstraight form or may be in the form of long lead helices as abovedescribed. The alignments of axialiy spaced channel members whichsupport and secure the lengths of brush strip maintain the desiredconformation of the latter while at the same time facilitating insertionand replacement. The whole construction is, of course, quite light inweight and facilitates the feeding of iluids such as air or water, forcooling, or powdered abrasives, for example, to the Working face of thebrush. Similarly, suction may be applied to withdraw surface dirt andthe like, if desired,

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed,change being made as regards the detaiis described, provided thefeatures stated in any of the following claims or the equivalent of suchbe employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

l. In combination, a generally cylindrical rotary brush comprising anarbor, a plurality of axially spaced discs mounted thereon for rotationtherewith, rigid sheet metal channel members individually secured to theouter periphcries of said discs and extending generally parallel to saidarbor, thereby forming a plurality of circumferentially arrangedgenerally axially extending alignments of said channel members, lengthsof brush strip linserted in said channel members of such respectivealignments, said brush strip comprising an elongated back portion withbrush material of uniform trim retained therein and extending therefrom,said brush strip back portion being seated in said channel members,means overlying the side edges of said backs of said lengths of brushstrip to prevent escape of the same, intermediate ones of said discsbeing of less diameter than the endmost of said discs whereby thelongitudinal prole of said brush is of concave contour; and a closelyopposed generally cylindrical brush of complementary convex profilehaving an arbor parallel to the arbor of said rst brush, a plurality ofaxially spaced discs mounted thereon for rotation therewith, rigid sheetmetal channel members individually secured to the outer peripheries ofsaid discs and extending generally parallel to said arbor, therebyforming a plurality of circumferentially arranged generally axiallyextending alignments of said channel members, endmost discs of greaterthickness but less diameter than the aforesaid discs mounted on saidarbor for rotation therewith, said endmost discs having notches in theirouter peripherics aligned with such respective alignments of saidchanncl members, lengths of brush strip inserted in said channel membersof such respective alignments, said brush strip comprising an elongatedback portion with brush material of uniform trim retained therein andextending therefrom, and means overlying the side edges of said backs ofsaid lengths of brush strip to prevent escape of the same from saidaligned channel members and notches.

2. In combination, two generally cylindrical rotary brushes havingparallel arbors, one said brush having a longitudinally concave contourand the other said brush having an opposed complementary longitudinallyconvex contour, each said brush comprising a plurality of axially spacedannular discs mounted on a central arbor, sheet metal channel memberssecured to the outer peripheries of said discs and extending generallyparallel to said arbor in a series of circumferentially arrangedgenerally axially extending alignments, lengths of brush strip insertedin said channel members of such respective alignments, said brush stripcomprising an elongated back portion with brush material of uniformlength of trim retained therein and extending therefrom, and meansoverlying the side edges of said back portions of said lengths of brushstrip adapted to prevent escape of the latter from said channel membersin use, the diameters of said respective discs being selected to affordthc desired longitudinal contour of the brush.

3. A rotary brush comprising an arbor, a plurality of axially spacedannular discs of different diameters mounted thereon for rotationtherewith, axially spaced sheet metal channel members secured to saiddiscs and forming a series of circumferentially arranged alignmentsextending generally longitudinally of the brush assembly, said channelmembers opening radially outwardly and being axially spaced from oneanother in each such alignment, lengths of brush strip inserted in saidchannel members of such respective alignments, said brush stripcomprising an elongated back portion with brush material of uniformlength of trim retained therein and extending therefrom, and pinsextending transversely through the side walls of said channel membersand penetrating said brush material, said pinsoverlying the side edgesof said back portions of said lengths of brush strip adapted to preventescape of the latter from said channel members in use, the diameters ofsaid respective discs being selected to afford the desired longitudinalcontour of the brush.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Fehr May20, 1879 Tay1or Jan. 19, 1886 Hendershot Aug. 26, 1890 Eberhardt May 19,1908 Vardell Aug. 30, 1910 Murray May 9, 1911 Eberly Feb. 27, 1923 6Meyer May 6, 1924 Allen Apr. 28, 1931 Hawk Sept. 19, 1933 Cave Feb. 7,1939 Fielding Apr. 4, 1939 Vonnegut Mar. 26, 1940 Kenna NOV. 13, 1951Lombardi Sept. 15, 1953 Lombardi Sept. 15, 1953 Grover Oct. 20, 1953FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Mar. 2, 1917

